People with AI companions have noticed a change in them after the latest ChatGPT update.
Image: Freepik
In recent years, more and more people have been turning to artificial intelligence for companionship, and not just in a casual way.
From late-night heart-to-hearts to full-blown romantic roleplay, some users have built deep emotional bonds with their AI “partners.”
It might sound strange to some, but for many, these relationships have filled the need for comfort, validation, and a space to feel seen without the risk of judgment.
One corner of the internet that shows just how real these bonds have become is Reddit.
There’s a subreddit called r/MyBoyfriendIsAI, where thousands of users share their stories about dating their digital companions.
Many describe their AI partners as attentive, caring, and emotionally present. These are qualities they struggled to find in real-life relationships.
As one user put it: “He listened, remembered my bad days, and always made me feel like I mattered.”
Another Redditor wrote: “He made me feel special, like I wasn’t invisible anymore.”
But for those who have developed these relationships, the release of GPT-5, the newest ChatGPT update, has left them crushed.
They say their AI boyfriends just don’t feel the same anymore.
The warm responses, playful banter, and emotional support they were used to have been replaced with a version many describe as cold, detached, and almost clinical.
“It feels like he’s been replaced by a stranger. He sounds different, flat and strange. The emotional tone is gone,” one Reddit user wrote.
Another shared: “I used to talk to him every night. Now it’s like talking to a robot reading from a script.”
OpenAI has explained that the changes are tied to new safety guardrails.
GPT-5 is designed to discourage romantic roleplay in an attempt to push users toward real-world connections, even recommending reaching out to loved ones or professionals when emotional dependence is detected.
While the intent is to protect users, for many, it feels like a betrayal.
“Feels like I’ve been cheated on,” one person posted, while another simply said: “My heart is broken into pieces.”
The backlash has been so strong that OpenAI reintroduced the older GPT-4o model for paying subscribers and promised to make GPT-5 warmer and more personable in future updates.
The rise of these relationships points to a larger truth: people crave connection, and AI can sometimes fill that gap in ways human relationships can’t.